Linzhi Tibetan Paper｜A Millennium-Lasting Treasure of the Snowy Plateau

Following the crew of the show "Exploring China Along the Border," I came to Linzhi, Tibet, and experienced many niche spots that are hard to discover on my own travels, such as the Tibetan paper craftsmanship in Jindong Township, Lang County. This seemingly ordinary sheet of paper possesses astonishing toughness. Tibetan paper is an intangible cultural heritage treasure gifted by the snowy plateau to the world. For thousands of years, artisans have followed ancient methods: the roots and rhizomes of the wolfbane plant undergo more than ten steps including repeated pounding, washing, and drying, each step embodying wisdom and patience. When my hands first touched this thick and coarse paper, I truly understood what "craftsmanship" means. Even after repeated pulling and kneading, it does not tear. This toughness is the secret behind Tibetan paper’s ability to last for a thousand years. On this paper, what is written is not just words but a dialogue spanning millennia. 📍 Location: Jindong Township, Lang County, Linzhi, Tibet (about 5 hours by car from Lhasa) ⏰ Visit duration: 2-3 hours 💰 Cost: Free admission; Tibetan paper printed paintings 30-60 RMB per sheet 🌿 The Mystery of the Raw Material: The Transformation of Wolfbane At an altitude of 3,700 meters, watch intangible cultural heritage inheritors demonstrate how the mildly toxic wolfbane plant is transformed into eternal paper: ▪️ Harvesting: only the roots are taken (leaves and stems contain high toxicity) ▪️ Pounding: crushed in a stone mortar until fibers separate ▪️ Washing: soaked in snow mountain water for seven days to remove toxins ✋ Ancient Method Observation: 12 Steps 1️⃣ Paper making: using wooden frames and bamboo mats to scoop pulp, shaking three times to ensure even thickness 2️⃣ Water filtering: draining excess water 3️⃣ Drying: drying indoors 4️⃣ Demolding: manually removing the paper from the mold when it is about 90% dry Unexpected Discoveries: ▪️ The finished product is tear-resistant and can be used for tug-of-war ▪️ It does not rot for a thousand years 📜 Millennium Evidence: Secrets Hidden in Scriptures ▪️ The thousand-year-old Buddhist scriptures preserved in Jokhang Temple still have clear characters ▪️ The resistance to insects and rodents comes from the toxins in wolfbane ▪️ Nowadays used for cultural relic restoration and high-end calligraphy and painting creation